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Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 445, 1 October 1877, Page 2

This evening we have been compelled to issue a supplement in order to enable us to find room for matter "too important to be omitted, but which would otherwise have been sacrificed on account of a crush of advertisements. The liberality with which we have been treated by the advertising public has lately so limited the space at our disjiosal for reading matter that we have felt it necessary to enlarge our publication in order that the Mail should reach the standard of an efficient evening-journal, and that it might be what we have under circumstances of difficulty endeavoured to make it —asresultsprove, with no little success—a concise chronicle of the important events of the day throughout the Colony, indeed, we might with considerable truth say throughout the world. Immediately on the receipt of the necessary material, which we expect to arrive from Melbourne in a week or so, the siz3 of the Mail will be increased to that .of the Dimediu Evening News or Star. The Northern Agricultural and Pastoral Horse Shmv is advertised to take place on Friday next. Such an event possesses more than ordinary interest in a district such as ours, and will in all probability meet with considerable support. But we think it a pity that the time chosen should have been a race day. Everyone knows that if a horse show i< an interesting sight in a community, a horse race is far more so. In the one case one witnesses and admires the beauty of the animals exhibited ; but in the other one is gratified, not only by their appearance, but by a. te>t ot their powers of speed and endeavours. 'J here surely has been some misunderstanding somewhere ; ■ for we are persuaded that neither the Committee of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association nor the Stewards of the Waitaki Jockey Club desired that the two great events that are to come oft' this week should clash. We suppose that it is now too late to rectify the matter, and that both show and races must suffer, and many persons who would like to have been present, at both be di sap pointed in consequence. This evening-'* supplement contains among other nvit'er, our .Magisterial report, an account of Mrs. Suart's new hotel, and two letters which have been called forth by Mr. Fuller's lecture on Education. We think that we have now afforded all parties ample time and space to publish their views on this matter, a id that the literacy warfare, so far as our columns are concerned, should now case.

It will fl>e seen by an advertisement in another column that trains will be run on the 4th and sth instant to Maerewhenua, for the convenience of those of the public who wish to be present at the Duntroon Races, which will take place on those dates. Trains will leave Oaiuaru for M;ierewhenua at 9.45 a.m.. calling at intenneliate stations, and return to Oamaru at 6.15 p.m. on botli race days. The fact that tickets will be issued at single fares, available for the two days, will place it within the power of everybody to attend. Mr. J. L. Hall's admirable little companyappeared for the last time in the Masonic Hall on Saturday evening. The piece chosen for representation was a draniatisad version of Dickens' bean;iful novel, "Nicholas Nieklel-y." The dramatist has had a difficult task before him in reducing this, one of the very best of Dickens' writings, and has not entirely overcome that difficulty. There is no author whose works a"e so ill-adapted to the stage as those of the late Charles Dickens. Almost every line in his works is pertinent to the story, and his descriptive passages are, unlike those of most other 'writers, so necessary to a proper appreciation of the narrative, that they are rendered too good for dramatisation. Then, again, every character in Dickens' works is a speciality, requiring the most clever artistes to pourtray them, and we doubt very much if there is a companj- in the whole universe capable of giving life-like portraits of Dickens' beautiful creations. No wonder, then, that Mr. Hall's company should have failed to convey to the audience ajjroper idea of the characters iu "Nicholas Nicklehy," or even of the story itself. ,Mr. Hall, as Newman N"gg j , w.;s exceedingly good, and gave a capital representation of the character as drawn by the author; but in some places the dramatist has almost completely changed the character, and rendered the task of the actor doubly difficult. Although Airs. Hall could not possibly look the character of Siuike, she gave a very good rendering of the part, many of the more touching scenes, especially that of the death of the poor, ill used boy. being given in a moat realistic manner. Next, perhaps, in point of merit, was Mr. O'Brien's Nicholas Nickleby, "while Mr. Love was highly successful as John Brodie. The character

of Squeers has been entirely Bpoiled by the dramatist, and Mr. Oily Peering did not create a favourable impression by the manner in which he attempted to give life to the hard-hearted and brutal Yorksire schoolmaster. Mr. ; Herberte, although a very capable actor, was totally out of place as Ralph Mckleby. Miss Ashton made a very good Mrs. Squeers, while Mi*s Wiseman as Miss Squeers, Miss Alice Johns as Mrs. Nickleby, aud Mis 3 Wilton as Kate Kickleby were passably good. On being called befoe the curtain Mr. Hall thanked the peeple of Oamaru for the support given him during the s-hort time he had been here, aud expressed a hope that he would pay the town many more visits. The company proceeded to Timaru this morning, and appear this evening in " Oifr (iir.s." After a short stay they will go to Christchurh.